Flu Clinic demand way up as 711 opt for needle

Paul Becker, Associate Vice-President for Facilities Management, manages a brave smile as he waits for a nurse to give him his flu shot at this year's campus Flu Clinic.

Photo by Janice Lavoie

Demand for flu shots was way up across campus this year, according to Janice Lavoie, Community Safety Manager in the U of S Department of Health, Safety and Environment (DHSE).

Lavoie reports that 711 people took the opportunity to get the anti-influenza vaccination during the Oct. 21-22 clinic sponsored by DHSE in the Education Students' Lounge.

That's a 45-per-cent increase over last year's total of 489 people getting the shot, she says.

"Our two nurses went non-stop for two days, and we might extend the clinic to three days next year," Lavoie says.

"There was a greater interest in it this year, and I was very pleased with the turnout," she adds.

"If we can keep people from getting sick and at the same time keep productivity levels up, that's great."

She adds there was also more subsidization of payment for the shots by campus departments this year. DHSE already subsidize $5 of the total $13 per-shot charge for everyone, and some departments paid the remaining $8 fee for their employees' shots.

Of this year's vaccination participants, 24 per cent were faculty or sessional lecturers, 23 per cent were support staff, 21 per cent were administrative and professional staff, 14 per cent were students, seven per cent were from affiliated agencies on campus, six per cent were research personnel, four per cent were out-of-scope employees, and one per cent were members of the public.

Lavoie notes some people asked whether this year's vaccine addressed the flu that recently hit Edmonton. The vaccine did include that strain: A/Panama, as well as two others: A/New Caledonia and B/Shangdong.